


Omnia Mutantur, Nihil Interit

by harryoof



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dark Academia inspired, Gen, Good Malfoy Family (Harry Potter), Hufflepuff Harry Potter, Legilimency (Harry Potter), Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pureblood Culture (Harry Potter), Ron Weasley Bashing, Slytherin Hermione Granger
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:55:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25148815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harryoof/pseuds/harryoof
Summary: (title translation: everything changes, nothing perishes.)A new prophecy will have far-reaching effects on Wizarding society, and who better to bring it about than a Muggleborn sorted into Slytherin? Draco, Hermione, Neville and Harry find themselves at the epicentre of a brand-new world, with all of the exciting opportunities that come with it- and the danger too.(Not the friendliest to Ron Weasley, most of the Weasley family, or Albus Dumbledore.){Currently on indefinite hiatus due to writers block and external conflicts. Thank you for your understanding!}
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom & Harry Potter, No Romantic Relationship(s), Not this year anyways
Comments: 8
Kudos: 43





	1. Introductions, All Around

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I'm very exited to start something! I've always enjoyed writing, and I've finally found a plot bunny I can stick to. Any comments or constructive criticisms are welcomed, and I hope you enjoy the lavish world of Wizarding society as much as I do.  
> Little author intro- I'm Harrison, 19, (never learned how to read,) I'm a Slytherin, Cancer sun/Leo moon/Taurus rising, and I'll be a sophomore at University this fall!  
> This first chapter is long, and I'm not sorry about it! Enjoy!

“Lucius, we don’t have the time to reeducate him! Couldn’t you have figured it out earlier? How long did the Unspeakable know?”

“He only left the position yesterday, it’s not as though he could have said anything whilst on the job anyways!”

These were the curious words young Draco Malfoy heard while listening outside his fathers study. While he should have been in bed, getting a restful night’s sleep for his first day at Hogwarts, he could, unsurprisingly, not sleep. And upon hearing his parents voices reverberate across the manor, the curious boy walked down the long, dark hall towards the conversation at hand.

“We could wake him and talk to him. Draco’s a very smart child, he would understand right away and be the perfect person to implement our strategy.”

“How? By being the ‘prince of Slytherin’ and having the whole house under his thumb, like his father before him?”

“Of course not, he’s popular on his own, you’ve seen his friends. And if you’re going to make a crack about his dramatics coming from his father, I’ll not be happy about it.”

Draco snickered quietly; Lucius was always respected but had a flair for dramatics, and everyone including his son knew that the tendency was passed down.

“Luci, I only want you and me, and Draco of course, to do what’s right, for the sake of our families and the families we’re a part of. So if we want him to be a part of this change, he needs to know now.”

Lucius sighed decisively at his wife.

“You’re right, darling. Shall we call a house elf to fetch him?”

“No no, I’ll wake him,” Narcissa said as she opened the door, and smiled as she saw her wide eyed son behind it.

“Oh,” she said turning, “turns out I hardly have to walk. Somebody couldn’t sleep!”

Ordinarily, Draco knew being out of bed so late would cost him his broom for a day or two, but judging by his fathers amused smile, he wouldn’t be in trouble tonight.

“Come here, my son. Your mother and I wanted to talk to you about something before you finally do get some rest.”

The family of three moved over by the study’s fireplace, charmed to give off a cooling fire in the hot English summer, and sat down on a comfortable leather sofa together.

“Tomorrow, my dragon, you’re leaving us for the first time to go to Hogwarts, which is a most special place. And you already know that you will represent our family, as well as your cousins and the highest members of our society.”

Draco nodded, remembering his etiquette and politics lessons.

“But, something has come up recently that we need to talk to you about. Recently, there was a discovery of a prophecy in the hall of mysteries. It says:

> _‘Witch of brush, uncultured green_
> 
> _By blood and upbringing scorned_
> 
> _Shall turn the tide of Wizard scene_
> 
> _Power, tradition restored.’_ ”

The young boy’s eyes were wide; prophecies were rare to hear, but were crucial to how wizards made important decisions for the whole society.

“Those in our community have discussed at length in the past day or so what those words could mean. And it is said that the witch in that prophecy is a mud-Muggleborn girl. So we’re… readjusting, so to speak, how we see magical people who come from Muggle families. We think there’s something Lady Magic has in store, and we ought to be careful about how we approach things.”

All three were silent for a moment, before Narcissa spoke up,

“What father means, Dray, is that you’re expected to keep the same poise you usually save for our special get togethers with everyone you meet. Including, no, _especially_ , any Muggleborns you might come into contact with. Do you understand?”

Draco nodded.

“I promise I do, you won’t be disappointed.”

Both Narcissa and Lucius smiled at their son, their miracle, and wrapped him up in a hug. After a minute or so, they all released each other, and Winky was called to take Draco back to bed. Soon enough, it was only the couple in the dimly lit study again.

“I think he understood the plan,” Narcissa said, taking her husbands arm and walking back to their bedroom. It had gotten quite late, and waking up early to get a child ready for Hogwarts would be exhausting.

“Agreed, darling,” her husband said, “and I think maybe this will be better than having him be a hateful little thing. Like I was,” he added, smile fading. Narcissa gripped his bicep tighter, saying, “Lucius, you did what you did because of the time and society we were raised in. You're a caring father and husband, and if that hasn't recused your past actions, your willingness to accept a new era is a powerful change of heart.”

The couple lay in one another's embrace as neither spoke, but the warmth of Narcissa's words had been soothing to Lucius. Tonight had been a new beginning, and both realised that the world around them was about to change for good.

As the older Malfoys fell asleep with certainty and pride, their son was rolling around on his bed, both excited and nervous. Thinking of all the classes he would be taking, how he would tie his tie, and remembering the professors he had already, Draco’s mind raced. Amidst, of course, practising saying the word "muggleborn" as it seemed "mudblood" was no longer acceptable. He was always good at guessing what was good in a situation, and this one was no different, after his mother told him to be courteous to everyone. But no matter how tired he felt, Draco could not sleep.

"Winky?" he called into the moonlit room.

"Young Draco called for Winky?" said the house-elf, entering with a _pop!_ before the bedside table.

"Yea, can I have a glass of warm milk and a chocolate chunk cookie?"

"Young Draco shan't be having sweets before sleeps, 'tis not allowed by Master Malfoy,” Winky bristled.

"But Winky, I'm going away. This is my last night at home, and house elves can't come with students, and I won't get to have your cookies for a very long time."

Winky pondered, before disappearing to the kitchens and reappearing almost instantly with the dessert, smiling when the boy’s pout widened into a grin.

"Thank you Winky!"

"Winky will miss Young Master Draco when he is away. Now sleep!" she said, exiting the room with another _pop!_

The blonde boy finished, and after putting his plate and glass on his nightstand, he snuffed out his candle and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the new world he was about to embark into.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione Jean Granger waved one last goodbye out the window of her train compartment, before leaning back, closing her eyes, and smiling to herself on the Hogwarts Express.

Hermione hadn’t expected Professor McGonagall’s visit, nor an invitation to one of the greatest wizarding schools the world over, but she always knew she was a very different kind of person. For one thing, she had an uncanny ability to find lost things. A stray earring, a lost pencil, Hermione could always find it. And she was smarter than her whole primary school class, reading books and solving maths equations faster and better than anyone else. It certainly didn’t win her any friends, as she recalled less than fondly, but that didn’t matter as much to her. Hermione Granger wanted nothing more than to be a legendary woman, and a brilliant problem solver, friends be hashed.

Busy London streets quickly turned into the English countryside, and Hermione decided to open up her new school backpack. At the top was a wrapped package from her parents, with a note attached, reading-

> _Our dearest Hermione,_   
>  _We are so proud of you and can’t wait to hear_   
>  _about all your new adventures, friends, and_   
>  _learning. Enjoy this book- Daddy picked it out_   
>  _so that maybe you’ll have a leg up to how_   
>  _your classmates interact._   
>  _But always remember- you are your own person,_   
>  _and we love you very much._   
>  _See you at Christmas (but write weekly!),_   
>  _Mum and Daddy_

  
Feeling herself tear up, Hermione opened the wrapping. Inside was a beautiful black suede book, titled _Wizarding Customs and Etiquette_ , written by Asher Thistlebom. Quickly, she changed into her robes before settling into Chapter One: Titles and Introductions.

About an hour and a half later, by which time Hermione was up to Chapter Three: Estates, she heard the sliding door of her compartment open.

“Excuse me,” said a rather posh voice, “are you sitting alone?”

Hermione looked up at the boy, a blonde with striking grey eyes. He had two larger boys clearly following him, but not flanking him, as they stood further away in the hallway, chatting.

“Yes, I am,” Hermione said. “Do you need a place to sit?”

“No, but you see, I’ve never seen you before, so I was wondering if you knew anyone on the train.”

“I’m muggleborn, so generally I wouldn’t anyways. I’m fine alone though, I’ve just got a new book from my da- my father,” Hermione corrected herself, recalling from her book that many Wizarding families used formal titles for family members. In any case, the blonde looked impressed, and stepped into the compartment as Hermione continued.

“It’s about magical society and tradition, which I find fascinating.”

“Really? I suppose you want the full experience.”

“Why of course I do! I’m suddenly apart of one of the smallest communities in the world, how could I miss the opportunity?”

“So many want to stay in their nonmagical ways. And even some choose to refute magic entirely, thinking it would ‘change them too much’.” said the blonde boy, who’d just sat down next to Hermione.

“That couldn’t be me. What is your name, by the way?”

“My name is Draco, Draco Malfoy, but technically I’m Heir Malfoy. I haven’t got the ring yet-“

“And you won’t until you’re fifteen,” Hermione interrupted, as Draco pouted, which made her laugh. “Well met, Heir Malfoy. I’m Hermione Granger, no titles, just Hermione.”

She outstretched her hand, and Draco took it, kissing her knuckles as he was taught. Hermione made no outward acknowledgement of the intimate gesture, but was flattered.

“You’re a very different sort of girl, aren’t you?”

“Yes. And you have very good manners, so I’m thinking you’re exactly as you were raised to be.”

“We haven’t gotten the chance to know each other yet!”

“And yet, you had me down right off the bat.”

Draco mulled over the muggle metaphor before walking to the compartment door. He waved his friends off, watching them leave, then came back and sat across from the Muggleborn girl.

“So, Hermione, I want to know what else you’ve learned since figuring this all out.”

“Don’t be surprised when I know more than you,” grinned Hermione, as Draco donned a matching smile, before beginning to talk about dozens of topics.

After hours of nonstop debating about everything, from house-elves to potions to quidditch (Muggle or magical, Hermione Granger did not like sports), the announcers voice was heard.

“The train will be arriving in Hogsmeade in twenty-five minutes. Please put on your school robes, as you will be heading straight to the castle without stopping. Thank you for riding the Hogwarts Express.”

Both of them had drooping smiles then; a wonderful afternoon coming to an end! They said goodbye, and said they’d find each other when they got to school. But as Draco turned to leave, Hermione called, “Wait! Before you head back to your trunk?”

“Anything wrong?”

“What house do you think I should be Sorted in?”

Draco thought about what he was asked. After talking to his parents last night, it would only seem right to recommend his own house, especially as the girl across the compartment seemed to be a perfect fit.

“Your books might say Muggleborns never go into Slytherin, but I think you could really make that a thing of the past. In any case, I know that’s where I’m going. I hope to see you there, Hermione Granger.”

At that, Draco left, leaving the bushy haired girl sitting alone to think about what she had been told. Hermione knew the blonde was right; no student with her blood status had been sorted into Slytherin since the last century, from tensions about blood purity. It seemed opinions were changing though, so she recalled the qualities Slytherin valued: cunning, ambition, self-preservation, and loyalty to one’s own kind. It does seem very narcissistic, she thought, but then remembered how she’d shown those attributes herself. Hermione had the ambition to be the best in her class, the cunning when she needed to find a solution to a problem, the self preservation to defend herself from bullies in primary school, and always sticking up for her beliefs and people she loved. _He certainly has a point_ , Hermione thought as the Hogwarts Express slowed to a stop, _so maybe I will see him there_.


	2. Serpens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some surprises, and a couple of cues for you readers. I hit a little writers block here, so if there are any funky things you spot, that's on me. Hope everyone's well, and enjoy our favourite new Slytherin.  
> No, I don't own the Harry Potter franchise, but I really should, I think. Not in a narcissistic way, mind, but I'm not a TERF, so I think almost anyone who fits that category should own H.P.

After Draco’s departure, the Hogwarts Express stopped and Hermione disembarked the train. A half-giant called Hagrid called for all the first years, leading them in the opposite direction from the older students. Discreetly, Hermione started to eavesdrop on the students around her; some boys were discussing the Chudley Cannons, which Draco had mentioned were “the worst Quidditch team in English history, but right behind her was a very different conversation between two boys.

“You should really come to Gryffindor, Harry, you’d fit right in there.”

“I think so too, I mean, my parents were there! I didn’t even know that until you told me.”

 _He didn’t know his parents? Oh goodness, that has to be Harry Potter!_ thought Hermione, as the other voice started speaking again.

“I figured you didn’t. Anyways, it’s loads of fun, an’ I have three older brothers in there. Percy’s alright, he’s a prefect, bit of a tosser but pretty smart. And Fred and George, the twins you met earlier. Troublemakers, really, but they’re more liked than Percy.”

Hermione wasn’t a fan of the boy speaking about his family. But she did feel a twinge of sympathy for Harry Potter, whom she’d read had defeated the dark wizard Lord Voldemort. Thinking on her feet, and pursuing her curiosity, she decided to turn around and join the conversation.

“Hello, I’m Hermione Granger, were you talking about the Sorting?”

Both boys looked at each other, before the boy with dark hair ( _that has to be Harry,_ Hermione thought) said, “Erm, yeah, nice to meet you Hermione, I’m Harry Potter and this is-“

“Ron Weasley,” interrupted the redhead next to Harry, giving a lazy wave.

“Pleasure,” replied an unimpressed Hermione. “Anyways, I think I’d like to be sorted into Slytherin.”

Harry simply nodded along, clearly listening for an explanation, but Ron’s eyes bulged.

“You can’t! I mean, that’s where awful people go! And you seem decent-“

“I’d like to think I’m better than decent-“

“and the Granger name has been dead for a few hundred years already, so you’re a _Muggleborn,_ for Merlins sake! They never go to Slytherin!”

“I could change that.”

Ron guffawed before waving Hermione off.

“In your wildest dreams, and anyways, you should end up in Ravenclaw, _bossy know it all,”_ he muttered at the end.

Hermione turned around in haste, walking quickly down the path away from Ron and Harry, towards a small harbour on the lake. As Hagrid cried “No more’n four ter a boat!” Hermione looked around for anyone who had an extra seat, quickly spotting Draco Malfoy and two other boys from before, who waved her over with a grin.

“Granger, we’re over here. Come on one of the boats with us!”

Hermione smiled back, and started to walk towards Draco and his friends but Harry caught her sleeve before she could get too far.

“Hermione, I’m sorry about Ron, but he really does mean well.”

“Are you sure? Doubting someone else immediately upon meeting them, and then calling me a bossy know it all?”

Harry shuffled his feet, clearly feeling rather bad.

“Harry, don’t. His actions aren’t your fault. And really, the fact that you came to see if I was okay? That makes you a kind person, and far kinder than Ron Weasley.”

He beamed back at her, making her heart pang with empathybefore Hermione walked off again towards Draco’s boat.

“We meet again, Heir Malfoy,” she smiled as he helped her in.

“Ms. Granger. Who was that boy with the dark hair?”

“Harry Potter, of course.”

Draco was taken aback by that.

“Really?”

“Yes,” Hermione grinned, “and he seems very nice, I think he might go into Hufflepuff,” and continued to her friends dismay, “if I’m going to end up an unlikely member of Slytherin, it’s only right the saviour of the Wizarding World should go into Hufflepuff.”

Just as Draco was about to respond, Hagrid called “FORWARDS!” In a boat of his own, and all of the first years started to sail across the Black Lake. They ducked under low branches and trees, before turning the corner and-

There it was. Hogwarts, in all its beauty. All of the first years gasped, especially Hermione, having only seen photographs of it before. “None of them compared to this,” she whispered aloud, making the boys in her boat smile. In the dark evening, the castle was lit from inside with soft golden light, which could have been candlelight, were it not so bright. The building seemed to have many large halls, and five towers she could see, with even more spires coming off of them. A wall with a large clock could be seen above a courtyard, with stairs leading down to a path to the village, Hogsmeade. Hermione loved investigating every metre of her new home, and Draco reminded her “the inside is magical too. You’re not necessarily seeing the whole floor plan,” which made his new friend’s eyebrows rise dramatically with excitement.

After crossing the whole lake, the fleet of boats docked at the foot of the castle, and all of the first years climbed up to a pair ofgreat double doors. Inside was a witch dressed in emerald robes, a tall black hat with a dark velvet band around it, and was wearing a pair of square-rimmed glasses.

“The firs’ years, Pro’essor.”

“Thank you, Hagrid, you may go into the feast.”

The half giant slipped through a side door, before the tall witch (Hermione now recognised her as Professor McGonagall, who had come to her home) addressed the first years.

“Welcome to you all. In a few moments, you’ll enter the Great Hall to be sorted. You may become members of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. Your house will become like family, sharing classes and living space with them. Redeemable acts will win you house points, while punishment will lose you points. Now, wait here until the doors open for you.”

She disappeared into the hall at that point, leaving the first years to nervously whisper amongst themselves. Hermione noticed Draco glancing at Harry, and clearly wanted to initiate, so she learned over and whispered “Don’t worry, he’s very friendly, but the redheaded boy, Ron, thinks he knows about how people act. Throw him off his guard, and when he gets mad, Harry will probably be on your side.”

The blonde boy looked puzzled, but nodded as he walked over and said hello quietly. Ron immediately started yelling, even though nobody had noticed Draco speaking. Hermione rolled her eyes, but watched as Harry stuck up for Draco to Ron, and she found herself proud of him. Turning, she formally introduced herself to the boys from before, named Crabbe and Goyle, who then asked to be called just Vincent and Greg, and they both seemed lovely, though rather quiet.

After a few minutes, the hall doors opened, and Hermione took another great gasp at the huge room, filled with students and had an enchanted ceiling, which matched the night sky and the weather outside on any day.

Professor McGonagall was at the end of the hall, standing on the teachers platform. She held a piece of parchment with names on it, and stood next to a stool with a battered hat on it. The hat began to sing, to Hermione’s amazement, but she was too distracted by the four tables around her. The uniforms with red under robes- Gryffindor, she knew- seemed bored, yellow seemed politely paying attention, as were the blue, but the green uniforms were doing exactly what she was, scrutinising the newcomers. Upon squinting, Hermione could even see Galleons and Sickles being passed up and down. _They’re betting,_ she thought to herself, and wondered if any of them were betting on her.

“The students standing will now be sorted. _Abarra, Leanne!”_ Called Professor McGonagall, as a Black girl with long braids walked up to the Sorting Hat. After a few seconds, the hat called out “ _HUFFLEPUFF!”_ and the hall clapped for the first sorting of the year, as Leanne smiled and walked to her new table, her uniform colours changing to yellow and black.

Hermione clapped along with the hall, and more names were called. Abbott, Hannah went into Hufflepuff too, while Akramm, Zakir went into Gryffindor. Berrow, Darius went into Slytherin (the green table turned all smiles), and Bexley, Ethan went to Ravenclaw. After all four houses got their first students, they were permitted to sit on the floor as they waited. Hermione started to stare up at the ceiling, calming herself down. _Slytherin or Ravenclaw,_ she muttered to herself, wanting the former but accepting the latter as an option as well. Names were called, tables clapped, and the pattern continued until “Granger, Hermione!” was called.

Nervously, she went up and sat down on the stool. As the hat was placed on her head, Hermione felt a scratchy voice speak in her head. _Ah, you have quite the journey ahead of you,_ it said, shocking the girl. _How do you know?_ she asked, as the hat chuckled. _All I ask of you, Miss Granger, is to hold on for the ride, as the Muggle saying goes. You will be great, no matter your odds. Of that I am certain._ Hermione conclusively nodded at the cryptic words, as the hat yelled,

_“SLYTHERIN!”_

At once, the noise was deafening. All four tables broke out into about every noise Hermione had ever heard people make. She sat down next to Vincent Crabbe, who’d saved a seat for her close to the platform, and he patted her arm with a smile. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly and quieted the Hall, but quiet gossip continued as Daphne Greengrass was sorted into Slytherin too, and sat beside Hermione, introducing herself formally and keeping an interested eye on her fellow Slytherins.

As the sorting continued, Daphne would occasionally offer commentary. Manami Ichijo had a reputation that befell her, she mentioned, for being a talented fencer, and the Jones twins, Peter and Megan, were beloved pranksters in their Wizarding primary school. Draco joined them in Slytherin in what Crabbe noted could have been “the fastest Sorting of all time,” but seeing Hermione’s face, broke out into a grin, betraying his sarcasm. Draco’s friend Pansy came and sat down quickly too, already asking Daphne what gossip she missed out on.

But before anything could be said, _“_ Potter, Harry!” reverberated through the hall.

The black haired boy, who Hermione had met earlier, nervously walked forwards and sat on the stool. The silence was absolute as he sat, seeming contemplative as the hat did it’s work.

It felt like hours had passed until it shouted-

_“HUFFLEPUFF!”_

And if Hermione thought her noise was enough, Harry’s was _excruciating_. The Gryffindor table yelled in angry defeat, Ravenclaws traded the information they knew about Potter, Hufflepuff simply cheered in welcome, and Hermione noticed a sigh of relief amongst the Slytherins clapping. After a full minute of commotion, the headmaster stood and yelled **_“SILENCE!”_** Which effectively quieted the whole hall again. _Poor Harry,_ Hermione thought, looking over at the embarrassed boy and giving a wave. Harry smiled and waved back, calming them both as the sorting continued.

The rest of the first years ended shortly after, ending with Blaise Zabini coming to sit across from Hermione, kissing her knuckles as he introduced herself, much like Draco had before. Hermione astounded her tablemates by giving no response.

As the moment passed, Headmaster Dumbledore stood at the gilded podium in front of the teachers table.

“Good evening, students old and new, and welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. Before the feast begins, I have some announcements I wish to relay to you all. Firstly, as usual, students are prohibited from entering the Forbidden Forest, without explicit permission. Secondly, and crucially, the third floor corridor is forbidden to anyone who does not wish to die a painful death.”

Hermione looked shocked at her unfazed classmates. _Clearly, he has some trouble deciding how to keep children safe,_ she thought to herself, as the bearded man continued on.

“Now, all I have left to say, is _Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!”_

Immediately, every table was filled with platters and pitchers of food and drink, and the hall dug in. Hermione was impressed at the spread, including, somehow, both of her favourite foods (beef stroganoff with noodles and garlicky mashed potatoes.) Dinner progressed rapidly, her new housemates trading summer stories and gossip with one another as they ate, while Draco pointedly included Hermione in conversation. She noticed her new housemates were polite yet reserved, with a kind of respect she wasn’t sure was customary. _But,_ she thought to herself, _they’re not mean, and they’re including me. I’ll take what I can get, at least for now._

————————

“Students, now that the feast has ended, we ought to say goodnight. But first, we must sing the school song, so pick a tune and off we go!” said Dumbledore. Draco groaned as his friends laughed, and the whole hall erupted into singling. it was dissonant, and awful, and the redheaded twins in Gryffindor finished last, singing to a slow funeral march. But Hermione noticed Draco’s singing voice was alluring and mellow, so she gathered he was shyer than he presented.

“Ahh, music, a magic beyond all we do here. Now off to your dormitories!”

The Slytherin first years remained seated as the Fifth Year Prefects came to find them all sitting together.

“Excellent, you’re easy to find. You’ll follow me, I’m Audrey, and Jimmy down to the dungeons, understood? Stay close behind us,” said the dark haired girl, motioning to a tall boy to her left.

The two prefects, followed by the fifteen first years behind them, walked out of the Great Hall and down a nearby flight of stairs, ending up alongside the Hufflepuffs as they did. The prefects from both houses greeted each other, leading the first years to chat amongst themselves too. Hermione spotted Harry Potter, and ran up to say hello.

“Hermione! Congrats on Slytherin, it was where you wanted to end up, anyways. This is Neville, he’s in Hufflepuff too.” A slightly chubby boy with golden hair waved from Harry’s opposite side, and Hermione smiled and waved back at him, introducing herself. Nothing more could be said as they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, so the houses waved in departure as they turned in opposite directions.

The Slytherins soon arrived in front of a nondescript stone wall.

“This is where you enter,” said Audrey. “We change the password to our common room once every two weeks, so either stay close to someone who always knows, or keep an eye on the message board inside.” She then turned and said, “Serpens,” watching the stone wall shift into a square hallway. As they followed her inside, the first years took in the elegance of their new home.

The furthest wall was entirely windows, offering a crystal clear view into the inside of the Black Lake. Grindylows, as Hermione recognised them, were swimming by, and tapped on the glass in greeting. Strewn across the room were black leather couches and loveseats, and tables and chairs for studying. Two roaring black marble fireplaces were on the left and right sides of the room, flanked by bookshelves against the walls. (Hermione was particularly impressed, as she was already a voracious reader of magical books.) And the floor, magically charmed to be warmed, was of elegant black and white marble.

“Alright first years, sit on the couches, we have a few rules to go over,” Jimmy said, corralling the younger students into a cluster of couches by the fireplace on the left. “Firstly, your curfew is nine o’clock. You’re to be in the common room by that time, and in your room by nine-thirty. What you do after that is up to you, but we take sleep very seriously. You’re to be up by and in the common room by seven-thirty every morning from Monday through Friday. Everyone obeys that rule, because it’s gotten us out of trouble more times than you can think. Tomorrow, we’ll be leaving here promptly at seven-thirty five and walking you to the Great Hall for breakfast so you don’t get lost on the first day. Got it?”

The first years nodded, still listening intently.

“Good,” Audrey continued in Jimmy’s stead. “Secondly, you’re here to learn. This is why you’re all members of the first year study group that meets on Monday nights from seven to nine in this common room. It’s to improve your grades, and we take attendance, so do not miss it unless you have a real excuse. Thirdly, we don’t have a good reputation with some of the other houses. Some of you know this,” Audrey cast a cursory look at Hermione before continuing, “and some of you don’t. In any case: you do not walk alone. I don’t care how many of you there are in a group, but you do not leave each other behind, and no fighting in public. You settle your differences in private. We don’t need infighting.”

Hermione held her face steely as she listened, reminding herself that this was her best shot at greatness. _I refuse to mess this up._

“And lastly- the most powerful Wix have graduated from Hogwarts, specifically from Slytherin. Remember who you are, and no-one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Now, Jimmy and I are done, and you’re welcome to stay and relax here until nine-thirty. Get some sleep, be up on time, and welcome to Slytherin.”

Jimmy tugged hard on Audreys ponytail before waving at the first years and sprinting towards the boys corridor, to the right of the window wall. Audrey rolled her eyes as she chased him down.

“I’m surprised they didn’t say more about boys and girls not getting into any funny business,” Blaise Zabini said, grinning from the sofa he was sprawled across.

“Not all of us have a dirty mind,” admonished Draco from the other side of the fireplace.

“But they should expect it! We aren’t children anymore, _habib albi,_ who knows what mischief we could be in?”

Hermione rolled her eyes at the bantering boys, ignoring them and walking up to the message board in a candlelit corner of the room. Advertisements for Quidditch tryouts, curfew times for all seven years, the lost and found list-

The room turned dead silent as a black door next to the exit opened, and out stepped a man Hermione recognised as Severus Snape. He stepped forwards to stand in the centre of the room, his baritone voice low and emotionless as he turned to the students by the fireplace.

“Good evening, first years. I assume your prefects have given you the rules and expectations of Slytherin house.”

The wide eyed students nodded as Snape nodded and continued.

“I am, in case you did not know, your head of house, Severus Snape. What you do as students is my business, and my responsibility. I award points generously during your potions lessons, because they are unfairly taken away from us by other professors. When you receive a detention, and it is given unbiased, I give you one myself also. When you act rashly, it affects the whole house. If you are ill, if you feel uncomfortable in… _physical, ways,_ shall we say, I ask you to come to me first. Vulnerability is seen as a weakness outside of these walls and I will not have my wards exploited. Do I make myself clear?”

Every student regardless of age nodded, making Snapes grimace soften slightly.

“I will see you all tomorrow morning. Have a restful first night.”

The professor then turned with a flourish of his robes and went back through the door he came in.

As the chatter resumed, Hermione noticed how tired she was, likely from holding her breath as Professor Snape spoke. Promptly, she waved goodnight to the students left by the fireplace, and trudged all the way down the girls hall to the second to the last room on her right, marked with a silver number one and her last name on a list pinned outside.

Hermione saw the first bed to the left had her trunk at it’s foot, and after putting on her pyjamas, climbed into it, not even bothering to say goodnight to her new roommates.Her final thoughts weren’t nervous like they had been the night before at home, but instead were excitement and a sense of belonging. She smiled as she slept.


End file.
